Recreation & Parks News

The city has installed five pet waste stations to serve downtown residents who own pets. The stations are identified by red and white "Scoop the Poop" signs. Each has a dispenser for plastic bags and a bin for depositing pet waste.

Tim Grant, the director of recreation and parks, said the city put up the stations to ensure that downtown residents are aware of and follow the city law that requires owners to clean up after their pets.

"All they have to do is grab a bag, scoop the poop, tie it up and deposit it in any trash can downtown," Grant said. "They aren’t required to use the bins at the stations. This is a cooperative effort with the Sanitation Division. They empty the trash cans every day." Recreation and Parks will be responsible for keeping the stations stocked with plastic bags.

The Stormwater Management Division and the Department of Transportation were also involved in the initiative. Stormwater has been working to educate the public about the health hazards in pet waste, which can contain disease-causing bacteria and parasites. Transportation assisted in providing locations for stations next to three downtown parking decks.